Mt. Pleasant to attempt beer festival again this coming summer

Mt. Pleasant will try one more time to host a summer craft beer festival.

Originally planned for the summer of 2013, the craft beer festival was ultimately canceled due to low ticket sales.

However, Brian Anderson, director of Middle Michigan Development Corporation, said, the committee is determined hold the event this June 7.

“We’re committed to pulling the event off,” he said. “Having signature events, especially in our downtown, becomes very, very important to just keep things interesting and give people options.”

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Anderson said the committee, along with the Mt. Pleasant Jaycees, are working early to find sponsorships in order to ensure that the festival’s funding isn’t entirely dependent on ticket sales.

Much like last year’s attempted predecessor, Anderson said this summer’s event will likely cost between $25,000 and $30,000 to put together.

The event will also take place the same weekend as the Mt. Pleasant Summer Festival and Le Tour de Mont Pleasant, Anderson said.

While there will be live music at night, the bike race will serve as entertainment during the earlier hours of the festival, he said.

“Doing the beer fest sort of inside the downtown ring of the bike race will be kind of a unique flavor and make it a really fun event,” he said.

Anderson said that the city already had plans drafted for the last summer’s canceled festival, so it was fairly easy for the Jaycees to pick up where the city left off.

A few brewers have already committed to the festival, Anderson said, but the committee still has months to expand.

“We’re hoping to attract a big number of breweries from around the state and have a good interesting mix,” Anderson said. “We’re actively recruiting those breweries right now.”

Anderson also expressed that the beer festival will not be a beer tent.

Those who purchase tickets will be given a signature beer sampling glass and six drink tickets, entitling them to a sample per ticket.

Extra drink tickets will be available for a dollar a piece.

“This is meant to be a tasting and educating event,” Anderson stressed. “This isn’t a beer chugging event. This is learning about the different types of beers, learning about the process that goes into brewing the different types of beers.”

The festival will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 7 at town center.

General admission tickets are $20 in advance with a face value of $25.

VIP tickets can be purchased for $30, Anderson said.

Those with VIP tickets can enter the festival an hour early, and will have access to a VIP tent with special select brews.

Tickets are available at the MMDC office, 200 E. Broadway Street, or online at mpbeerfest.com.

About the Author

Randi Shaffer has been the Isabella County reporter for the Morning Sun since 2012. An alumna of CMU, she is in the process of obtaining her MSA degree. Obsessions include hockey, yoga and vegetables. Reach the author at rshaffer@michigannewspapers.com
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